State Senator Patty Ritchie is teaming with area colleges, local agencies and officials to launch a new highway safety initiative to help raise awareness of the region’s growing Amish population, and prevent vehicle-buggy crashes like those that claimed the lives of an Amish child last year, and caused tens of thousands of dollars in property damage.

The initiative targets new drivers and college students, in particular, and includes special state budget funding secured by Senator Ritchie to install as many as 100 new, reflective road hazard signs, and a new informational brochure prepared with the help of highway safety experts to remind drivers to “Share the Road” with slow-moving Amish buggies.

Participants in the effort include Senator Ritchie, all four colleges located in St. Lawrence County, County Sheriff Kevin Wells, County Clerk Mary Lou Rupp, the St. Lawrence County Traffic Safety Council, and Jefferson County’s Public Health Service.

Extra Funding is in Addition to a Record $20 Million in State Aid for Local Highways

State Senator Patty Ritchie has announced that the new state spending plan includes extra aid for local highway departments that have had their budgets affected by this winter's severe weather.

Contained in the new State Budget is an extra $2 million in aid for municipalities in the Central and Northern New York regions Senator Ritchie represents. The support is part $40 million in special, onetime funding allocated for local highway departments having to deal with the aftermath of a particularly brutal winter.

“This year, the ice, snow and cold hammered Upstate New York, placing a heavy burden on highway departments having to deal with an increased amount of weather-related cleanup and damages,” said Senator Ritchie.

“Earlier this year, I met with more than four dozen local highway officials from our region who requested extra help for critical maintenance and repair projects that would provide relief to local budgets—and to local taxpayers. I’m pleased that this year’s State Budget recognizes the unique challenges presented by our most recent winter by including extra aid for municipalities trying to make ends meet.”

Following a long winter, motorcyclists across the Central and Northern New York region are eager to hit the road. As summer approaches, it’s extra important for those on both two wheels and four to safely share the road.

State Senator Patty Ritchie has announced she has secured $50,000 to help the Village of Adams increase accessibility and improve transportation for pedestrians by rehabilitating and extending its sidewalks.

State Senator Patty Ritchie has announced she has secured $100,000 to help the Village of Central Square improve transportation for pedestrians and make improvements to its wastewater treatment plant.

“When you look at any community, there are certain things that stand out as being key to increasing well-being for residents,” said Senator Ritchie. “A safe, accessible transportation network as well as an environmentally sound wastewater treatment operation are two of those things. I’m pleased to be able to provide funding that will not only allow the Village to improve its sidewalks, but also will enable it to make upgrades to its wastewater treatment facility.”

Did you know that motorcyclists are 30 times more likely than those traveling by car to die in a crash? According to the most recent numbers available from the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles, in 2013, there were more than 5,100 motorcycle crashes statewide. Those crashes resulted in 171 deaths and more than 5,000 injuries.

This month, we make an extra effort to increase the safety of our roadways through “Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month,” a time when those who travel our roadways are encouraged not only to be extra alert, but also to make an extra effort to learn how to more safely share the road with others. If you travel on four wheels, here are some safety tips for staying safe:

Senator Patty Ritchie and St. Lawrence County leaders announced an historic agreement with members of the state's fastest-growing Amish community to improve markings on their horse-drawn buggies to make them more easily seen at night.